VS vs RingsFX
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
VS
Generate dynamic, audio-reactive visuals for your music projects. This app offers extensive customization with layers, shaders, images, and video, allowing you to perform visuals live or record them for your tracks. Integrate seamlessly with DAWs and external displays.
- 8 polyphonic visual layers
- Shader, image, and video materials
- Modulation matrix
- AUv3 plugin support
- Live performance output
- Built-in video recorder
- Custom shader editor
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VS provides a creative way to generate beautiful graphical representations of your music projects. Driven by both audio and MIDI data, VS is the visual equivalent of a traditional synthesizer. VS takes the concept of music visualisation to a whole new level of customisation and expression, putting you in control and giving you the power to perform however you want. VS is powered by 8 flexible layers which can use shaders, images or videos, allowing you to create generative graphics that you can interact with and layer on top of each other to create complex evolving visuals. With customizable parameters, a modulation matrix and an array of blend modes, use your audio and/or MIDI to trigger and manipulate your layers accordingly with your music. You can even import and create your own shaders to give your visuals a more personal feeling. As the name suggests, VS - Visual Synthesizer can be played live like an audio synthesizer; use your MIDI keyboard to make each layer come alive with the concept of ‘polyphonic visual voices’. As well as a standalone app, VS includes an AUv3 plugin version, so you can run it directly inside your favourite iOS DAW programs like AUM, Drambo, BAM, Cubasis, Loopy Pro, Groove Rider 2, Logic Pro etc. You can now give your existing projects a visual touch of creativity. Simply route the MIDI and audio of your tracks and watch the magic happen. You can connect your mobile device to an external screen or projector for a live visual performance. If you prefer to create a video for your music, the built-in recorder lets you capture both visuals and audio. Record in landscape or portrait mode, with multiple output resolutions available. We partnered with new media artist ‘Perplex On’ to bring you a factory preset bank full of amazing interactive visuals you can start using right away to create dazzling animations and make your music move in a whole new medium. With an ever growing collection of expansions, you can further augment your visual arsenal with preset packs created by handpicked new media art talents. Features: - 8 Polyphonic visual layers (with blend modes) - 4 voices per layer - 32 built-in material effects - Layer material can be a shader, image or a video - Background layer with solid color/image/video - 4 LFO’s with SIN, SQR, TRI, SAW, S&H and filtered S&H - 2 EG’s with ADSR controls - 4 Dual-mode Audio Modulators (envelope and frequency band detection) - Modulation matrix - Full Screen mode - HDMI output for external screen/projector - NDI output - Built-in audio player with MIDI support - Built-in video recorder - Built-in material code editor for custom material creation - Exclusive factory presets by Perplex On
RingsFX
This music app emulates a renowned physical modeling synthesizer, offering diverse synthesis techniques and polyphonic capabilities. It allows for real-time parameter manipulation and can process external audio, creating unique sonic textures and rhythms.
- Physical modeling synthesis emulation
- Multiple polyphony modes (Mono, Duo, Quad, True Polyphonic)
- Supports MIDI MPE and velocity sensitivity
- External audio excitation
- Mod Matrix for real-time parameter control
- 7 unique synthesis modes
- 6 mod-able and 6 global effects
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RingsFX is an AUv3 plugin based on the famous Mutable Instruments Rings, one of the most dedicated and fully-featured Physical Modeling Eurorack modules ever created. At its core is a resonator that needs to be 'excited' or 'strummed' by MIDI input, noise, or external audio excitation. RingsFX emulates vibrations of structures simulated by 3 different synthesis techniques that can be plucked or process external signals: Modal Synthesis, Sympathetic Strings, and Inharmonic Strings. Traditionally, Rings was only monophonic but used a unique approach to polyphony that allowed the previous note to 'ring' out and decay while a new note was played. Rings FX provides these same modes (Mono, Duo, and Quad), but expands it with a true Polyphonic mode. RingsFX also expands the capabilities of the original engine by adding support for velocity sensitivity and MIDI MPE mode. The new polyphonic mode allows RingsFX to play up to 12 notes of true polyphony, depending on the settings. Doing so requires RingsFX to use multiple Rings resonators, but the more true polyphony you use, the more processing power it requires. Running in the traditional Monophonic, Duophonic, or Quadrophonic modes may be preferred in order to keep CPU usage under control. RingsFX has 7 modes in total, by combining the 3 basic modes with additional properties such as chords or specially tuned reverbs. The original hardware also had a secret 'Easter Egg' mode, which in RingsFX is simply calling 'Synthesizer' mode, rumoured to be based on one of the early Korg synthesis methods. This mode supported a number of mutable effects which now work on in all resonator modes. RingsFX also has a Mod-Matrix which allows you to combine the built-in LFOs and FEGs to great effect by manipulating parameters and mutable effects in realtime. Finally, RingsFX can be loaded as an AUv3 effect plugin. Set the Exciter Source to 'INPUT', and you can pass any audio through RingsFX and use this audio as an external exciter. For example, it can be used to great affect on a drum beat to create some crazy rhythms. Use the Output Mix to combine the original audio with the synthesised resonator output to create some stunning effects. Features ○ 7 unique synthesis modes. ○ Supports Mono, Duo, Quad and true polyphony. ○ Supports 2 fluid LFO's per note. ○ Up to 4 FEG's per note. ○ External Exciter modes. ○ White noise Pulse Sequencer. ○ Supports 6 mod-able effects and 6 global effects. ○ Mod Matrix ○ Input and white noise filters. ○ Program Manager with drag and drop. ○ Preset Search and Favourites. ○ Easy export and import of banks and presets. ○ Extensive help manual. ○ Web Transfer for backing up to PC/Mac. ○ MPE Support.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: RingsFX at $14.99 against VS's $24.99. RingsFX also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 6) and rating (4.9 vs 4.6). VS's advantage is ratings volume (125 vs 27). On ads and device support there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
VS costs $24.99 and RingsFX $14.99 up front. VS sells 6 one-off in-app purchases. RingsFX asks for nothing beyond the download.
RingsFX holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.6. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 125 and 27 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 80% of VS's written reviews are positive against 100% of RingsFX's.
VS ships an update every 6 weeks, RingsFX fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 20, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | VS | RingsFX |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $24.99 | $14.99 — better |
| Rating | 4.6 (125 ratings) | 4.9 (27 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 80.4% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 125 — better | 27 |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | Fortnightly — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases — better | Paid |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 16.1 | 13.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 787 MB | 23 MB |
| Age rating | +4 | 4+ |
| Developer | Imaginando Lda | 4Pockets.com |
Customer experience
VS
RingsFX
Bugs and requests
VS
Reported bugs
15 issues- No elegant way to get live synchronized video out
- Popout to external displays only in standalone app, which can’t run in background
- Video record export issue: videos are 30+ minutes when recorded for shorter duration
- NDI stream not working
- App crashes frequently
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- Cannot cope with 'large' MP3 files (around 10MB)
- No way to seek to anywhere but the beginning of audio files
- Does not support .aiff files (only .aif)
- Missing Bluetooth MIDI support
- App is not smooth and freezes
- No MP3 support
- Jaggy and slow performance with video file background and one material layer
- Unresponsive interface and frame rate drops with HD video
- In-app help does not work
- AUv3 mode displays AUM stuff and app menus, destroying aesthetics
Requested features
20 requests- Integrate an audio tool for Spotify/other audio sources
- Allow using any graphic or photo content as a layer
- Hope for Metal rendering for super performance shaders
- More ways to interact between layers (displacement, feedback)
- Post-processing effects (luma key, feedback, kaleidoscope, mirror)
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- Option to load videos and images in layers other than B layer
- More flexible/bigger choice of MIDI controllable artifacts
- Use MIDI to trigger pre-programmed words
- Ability to change font size in materials code editor
- Pause and resume feature for audio playback
- Ability to set play cursor anywhere in the middle of the file
- iCloud file sharing
- HDMI output for live use
- Save audio file with the patch in standalone mode
- Deeper mutating possibilities for items
- Other textural possibilities with imported images
- More mod sources for audio reactivity, device tilt, camera brightness, gestures
- Option to create own materials from scratch (shader coding)
- Cover the whole display in AUv3 mode (e.g., two-finger double tap)
- Add shaders to the library
RingsFX
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
VS
- Retina Refill Preset Pack$17.99
- Textural Memories Preset Pack$17.99
- Cyber Spells Preset Pack$17.99
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- Retro Riot Preset Pack$17.99
- Raw Reflections Preset Pack$17.99
- Noir Cuts Preset Packs$17.99
RingsFX
No in-app purchases









